Back in time: December 2012

December: the month in which we put up the Christmas tree, Saint Nicholas brought many presents and we saw the first snow covering everything with a thick white layer. In December, Auro's kindergarten organised a Christmas recital (in which Auro was present, but didn't take part very actively due to a fever that made him miss 2 weeks of school and nearly all of the preparations for the recital). 

The first snow was good enough for this beautiful snowman!

On the morning of the 6th of December, Auro and Tosca followed the trail of tangerines and chocolates down the stairs, to find that Saint Nicholas had brought them a table with chairs, a CD, a puzzle and a board game of Barbapapa!

Happy kids!

Auro's school recital (Auro is in the right bottom corner, with a white t-shirt)

There he is, trying to find us among all the parents while he should have been singing with the other kids...

Here is one girl who really enjoyed the show (shouting Wawa every time she spotted her brother).

On the 23rd of December, we put all of our Christmas presents in our suitcase and took the plane to Belgium. We had a quiet (but nice) Christmas Eve in my dad's new apartment and on the last day of 2012 we went caroling in the street where he used to live. We even stopped at the house I grew up in and met the new owners (it felt weird, but comforting at the same time knowing the house seems to be in caring hands). 

Auro and Tosca ready to sing for candy

A pit stop at the house of friendly (ex-) neighbours  (cookies and a glass of water for the children, jenever and homemade Amaretto for the adults)

After about 10 houses, the children finally overcame their initial shyness and started singing louder than the accompanying adults (notwithstanding the jenever stop we had just had). Here you see Zita (my brother's daughter) singing at the top of her lungs ;-)

And they were well rewarded!

A final toast on the old year...

Back in time: November 2012

November 2012 was the month in which Remo turned 40. He had told me many times he didn't want any party, so what did I do? I threw him a surprise party! And guess what? He liked it :-)

The day after his birthday party, however, Remo had to leave for Japan and I stayed behind with the kids. Luckily, my father and my aunt drove all the way from Belgium to keep us company a bit. About a week after they had left, my sister in law and her little girl came to stay with us.

Four candles on a small cake (on the 9th, Remo's actual birthday)

Birthday lunch at the restaurant (on the 10th of November), followed by a surprise arrival of neighbours, friends and colleagues

...with a slightly bigger cake!

 

 

 

 

 

My beautiful kids one evening during that long November month

Tosca & Auro with their cousin Ginevra

Goldilocks

Before I start on (yet another) huge update, I want to mark today as the day that Tosca had her first haircut! After today's bath, I sat her down on her step stool with a book and draped one of Remo's dirty shirts around her shoulders. About 5 minutes later, I had collected a handful of golden curls in Remo's shirt.

The walk

This is how Tosa walks!

Coffee

I have just had my midmorning coffee and I'm enjoying the momentary burst of energy that comes with it. I have also made up my mind: today I'm posting a big update to make up for the last 5 months in which I did not have the time or the energy to write. The kids have continued growing. We have gone on holidays. We have had visitors. Too many things happened that I should have written about. After reading this post, you should be up-to-date on the latest developments in the Proietti family!

June 2012

June was the last month of school for Italian kids and also Auro successfully finished his first year of kindergarten. The school held it's yearly recital with Pinocchio's story as the central theme. All the children got a part in the musical and Auro, together with his fellow freshmen, skillfully represented the waves of the sea in which Pinocchio jumps to look for his lost father.

one of our tickets to the recital

Auro as a "wave"

With the arrival of warmer temperatures, unfortunately, Tosca's slightly atopic skin developed a contagious skin infection (impetigo). Antibiotics, skin cream and nearly one month later the blisters finally started to disapear from around her ancles, legs and hands.

July, August 2012

The warmer months of July and August, we basically spent traveling back and forth between Genoa and Cesenatico. We went to the beach and swam in the river. We ate in restaurants and had people over for lunch. We also, and this was my favourite part of the holidays, spent one week in Andalo (Trentino, North Italy)... just the four of us!!

Wendy and her family visiting from Belgium (in the garden of my in-laws)

Nicholas, our Australian visitor from Japan

the swimming pool in the garden of my in-laws

the beach of Cesenatico ( Auro and Tosca with their nonna)

Tosca with her cousin Zita (visiting from Belgium)

Auro and Zita at the laghetti del guado (40 min drive from our home)

Auro all happy

mountains in Andalo

cable lift

cowboy Auro

mountain flowers

happy hikers

mother and daughter :-)

religous procession of San Martino di Paravanico

change of crucifix bearer

September 2012

In September, we went to meet a friend of mine in the city. She and her family were on a cruise and last Saturday their ship docked at Genoa harbour. A great occasion to go and see them!

However, September 2012, more than a month of having visitors, will be remembered as the month in which Tosca started walking and Auro threw the best birthday party ever seen in San Martino di Paravanico.

On the 15th of September, 2 days before Auro's birthday, Tosca finally let go of my hand and walked about the house freely. She still prefers to hold my hand when she walks, but at least we know she is capable of doing it all by herself. Let's be honnest: it was about time. After all, she is nearly 19 months old. When I found out that Remo's sister didn't walk until the age of 2 and his aunt until the age of 3, I admit I got a bit worried. What a relief that she is not all Proietti ;-) 

On the 17th of September, Auro turned 4! We went out to buy him a bicycle (he choose a red one) and the next day we sent him off to school with the invitations to his first real birthday party. Last Saturday, we set up a rented inflatable castle, prepared some tables with drinks and snacks and celebrated his birthday together with some of his classmates and all of our neighbours. The kids had the best time jumping up and down the inflatable jungle and only came out from time to time to quickly pop something in their mouth. The parents were over the moon about the inflatable (apparently nobody ever thought of putting one), because they didn't have to run after their kids and could actually sit, relax and enjoy the party. Good job, Proietti family!

Mina. Renske and Auro on the pirate ship (galeone) in Genoa

the morning of Auro's birthday

the invitation (Special thanks to Wendy who gave me the idea to put Auro's photo. We got many compliments on the originality of the invitation! And thank you, Nicholas, for taking the photo!)

the inflatable jungle

good for hours of fun!

at times there were so many children inside, we had to run to stop it from tipping over (which obviously made it even more fun!)

this little one safely remained on the outside

the birthday boy ready to open his presents

some were difficult to open... luckily there were many helping hands

"Who's present is this? Thank you!!!" (such a well mannered boy... I'm so proud of him)

undoubtedly the best part of the party for Auro

Auro and his mate Lorenzo

Mother's Day

Little things

The other morning, I was outside when a truck, that had clearly lost it's way, backed up in our little street. When the driver spotted me, he asked me if I knew Rossi's butcher shop. He, of course, had no idea he was asking a vegetarian, so with a big smile I pointed him towards the only macelleria I know. About 10 minutes later, I was in the garden collecting wood for the fireplace and the same truck passed by again. The driver slowed down, honked his horn and greeted me. Satisfied that I gave him the right directions, I came back inside with my wood and could not stop smiling while I prepared the fireplace. Happiness... it really is in the little things, isn't it?

The big day

Tosca wore her birthday crown the whole day (Auro coloured al the flowers)

 On Monday, Tosca turned one! 

I can not believe how fast my little girl is growing. 

Anyway, for the big day, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law came down and we had a little birthday party, complete with birthday crown, birthday cake and birthday presents!

Auro had to wait a long time to give Tosca her birthday present and was relieved to finally do so.

A doll

Tosca and her nonna

Ginevra and Tosca

Birthday cake

Another big fan of birthday cakes